CHARGED YYJ FAQ

Victoria, BC · Launching December 2026

Power bank rental in Victoria, BC

Phone at 5% and you're not ready to go home? Charged YYJ puts power bank rental stations in downtown Victoria bars and venues, so you can grab a charged battery and keep your night going.

There's no app to download and no account to set up. You rent right at the station, pay on your phone, and take the power bank with you. When you're done, drop it back into any Charged YYJ station in the city.

How renting a power bank works

  1. Scan the QR code on the station's screen with your phone camera.
  2. Pay $9 on your phone with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit card. Payments are processed securely by Stripe.
  3. Take the power bank that the station releases and plug your phone into it right away.
  4. Return it to any Charged YYJ station within 24 hours. That's it.

One flat price, no surprises

A rental is $9 flat, and that already includes PST. There's no hourly meter running. You can stay at the bar, walk to the next spot, or take it home for the night and bring it back the next day. Stations are inside venues, so they're open when the venue is open.

When you pay, your card gets a temporary $39 hold, not a charge. Return the power bank within 24 hours and you're charged only $9; the other $30 is released. Some banks show the full $39 until the hold drops off, which can take a few business days. Because Interac debit can't hold an amount, Interac and most Canadian debit cards are declined. Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards work, including in Apple Pay and Google Pay.

If a power bank isn't returned to a station within 24 hours, the $39 non-return charge applies: we charge the full $39 hold ($9 rental plus $30 for the power bank), and the power bank is yours. Bring it back within 7 days after that and we refund the $30.

Cables for almost any phone

Every power bank has three cables built right in: Lightning for older iPhones, USB-C for newer iPhones and most Android phones, and Micro-USB for older Android phones and other small devices. You don't need to bring your own cord, and you don't need to ask the bartender for one.

The 5,000 mAh battery is small enough to keep in a pocket and holds enough power to bring a low phone back to a comfortable level for the rest of the night.

Where to find a station

Charged YYJ is launching in December 2026 with stations at bars and venues in downtown Victoria. Each station sits on the counter and is easy to spot by its bright screen. As stations go in, we'll share where they are on this site.

Run a bar or venue and want one? Stations are free for venues, and you earn a share of every rental. See the details for bars.

Why rent instead of hunting for an outlet

Leaving your phone behind the bar on someone else's cable means you can't use it while it charges, and you have to remember to go back for it. A rented power bank stays with you, so you can still order a ride, split the bill, find your friends or take photos while your phone charges.

Have a question we haven't covered? Read the FAQ, learn more about the charging stations, or contact us at finleytaverna@gmail.com or 250-883-6094.

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